Originally Posted by ram1000
How is it that the new designers think that you don't need a frame wrapping around the bottom of the motor? They must have never ridden in rocky terrain. I have cased my bike with a skid plate on it so hard that the dent goes all the way to the motor. The last time I hit something hard it bent the frame behind the skid plate. It seems real stupid to me to think that the motor cases are going to hold the skid plate in a manner strong enough to thwart off these kinds of impacts.

I don't have a problem on my 950 since it doesn't get to do singel track, but on a bike designed for single track it just doesn't do the job. I am going to pass on the new KTM 690 if the dualsport version doesn't have a cradle frame.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gas_pig70

I'm with you 100% on this.

My GS does not have a frame under it and riding double on parts of the Rubicon I managed to smash the crap out of the stock bashplate and I did no damage to the engine, just took off the skid plate and hammered it out. And with that heavy pig two up, I am sure I hit rocks harder than I am with my 325# TE riding solo.
So It might not be an issue with me, time will tell when the bike comes out.

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Robert